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| I'm off to the US in January and had an email reminder about needing a visa waiver thing to enter the country. The links on the email are for the Office of Homeland Security and asking for a charge of £16 to get the visa waiver - I've been to the US a few times before ( not recently mind ) and don't ever remember having to pay for a visa to enter the country, so is that correct??
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| Quote ="Mike Oxlong"I'm off to the US in January and had an email reminder about needing a visa waiver thing to enter the country. The links on the email are for the Office of Homeland Security and asking for a charge of £16 to get the visa waiver - I've been to the US a few times before ( not recently mind ) and don't ever remember having to pay for a visa to enter the country, so is that correct??'"
They introduced a new requirement some time ago that you had to fill in some sort of application for entry over and above what used to be the case of just getting a visa. In other words without the ESTA you won't get in even if you have a valid visa.
I think once you have one of these ESTA's they last for two years.
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| You see, this is one of the reasons I'm going to let my passport expire next year.
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| So you don't fill in that little green card thing on the plane anymore then?
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| They introduced a $14 charge a couple of years ago - I got one just before the charge came in.
The official link is [urlhttps://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/[/url. Watch out for a lot of other sites that will charge somewhat more than that to apply on your behalf.
This replaces the 'green card' that you used to fill in on the plane and it is required before you travel. You won't be allowed to check in for the flight without it.
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| Some years back, we flew in via San Francisco, filled-in the two-part card and handed them the "Entry" part.
The idea being that, when you left, you should hand them the "Exit" part.
After a few days in SF, we flew domestic to LA to get the flight to Auckland.
At LA airport we didn't go through any barrier between domestic and international and boarded the Auckland flight.
We merely showed our boarding cards (issued at SF) at the boarding gate.
When I got home several flights later, I was still in possession of the the "Exit" card.
The US might therefore think that I am still illegally in their country.
I do hope it's all a bit more secure by now.
Nonetheless, unless they've repealed the Patriot Act, they can chuck visitors in jail for months without trial if they imagine that they might be terrorists or a bit shifty.
That could be a bit inconvenient so, being that I haven't officially left the US, I don't want to confuse them by going in again, so I shan't be risking it.
Ever.
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| Quote ="El Barbudo"Some years back, we flew in via San Francisco, filled-in the two-part card and handed them the "Entry" part.
The idea being that, when you left, you should hand them the "Exit" part.
After a few days in SF, we flew domestic to LA to get the flight to Auckland.
At LA airport we didn't go through any barrier between domestic and international and boarded the Auckland flight.
We merely showed our boarding cards (issued at SF) at the boarding gate.
When I got home several flights later, I was still in possession of the the "Exit" card.
The US might therefore think that I am still illegally in their country.
I do hope it's all a bit more secure by now.
Nonetheless, unless they've repealed the Patriot Act, they can chuck visitors in jail for months without trial if they imagine that they might be terrorists or a bit shifty.
That could be a bit inconvenient so, being that I haven't officially left the US, I don't want to confuse them by going in again, so I shan't be risking it.
Ever.'"
I had an indefinite visa, so had to carry my old passport around with me when visiting the US. I also had to complete a different colored card on the plane - same questions, just a different coloured card. At the bit that asks "do you intend to enter the US to cause civil unrest or insurrection?", I always answered "sole purpose of visit". Never got pulled once.
On your last point, I'm not only in total agreement, I seriously doubt I'll ever board a plane again, to fly anybloodywhere
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| FFS!!!!
It really is simple.
To get into the USA you either get an ESTA for $14 which will take about 5 minutes to process on the inter web or you can apply for a visa at the US embassy and hope they can process it with their current troubles.
Your choice.
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| Quote ="cod'ead"I had an indefinite visa, so had to carry my old passport around with me when visiting the US. I also had to complete a different colored card on the plane - same questions, just a different coloured card. At the bit that asks "do you intend to enter the US to cause civil unrest or insurrection?", I always answered "sole purpose of visit". Never got pulled once.
On your last point, I'm not only in total agreement, I seriously doubt I'll ever board a plane again, to fly anybloodywhere'"
Somewhere in a box in the loft exists an old British passport of mine from 1973 with a US visa with "Indefinite" stamped on it, if I had money to burn I could be tempted to spend eight hours on a plane just to test it.
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| Quote ="Leaguefan"FFS!!!!
It really is simple....'"
Yeah, I know.
Just a bit of harmless thread drift ...
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| Quote ="Leaguefan"FFS!!!!
It really is simple.
To get into the USA you either get an ESTA for $14 which will take about 5 minutes to process on the inter web or you can apply for a visa at the US embassy and hope they can process it with their current troubles.
Your choice.'"
Or you have an American passport and sail through customs like I will be doing tomorrow
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| Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!
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| Quote ="Mike Oxlong"Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!'"
What like Turkey? Do you still have to have a crisp, freshly minted £10 note to enter there?
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| Don't know, never been there and never will.
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| Quote ="Mike Oxlong"Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!'"
When you see how much of your air fare is made up of various government duties, $14 is a drop in the ocean.
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| Quote ="Hull White Star"What like Turkey? Do you still have to have a crisp, freshly minted £10 note to enter there?'"
I remember doing that.
Couldn't hand over two fivers (or a twenty note for two people) ... nope, one ten pound note per person, no exceptions, no deviations ... and no forms to fill in.
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| Quote ="cod'ead"I had an indefinite visa, so had to carry my old passport around with me when visiting the US. I also had to complete a different colored card on the plane - same questions, just a different coloured card. At the bit that asks "do you intend to enter the US to cause civil unrest or insurrection?", I always answered "sole purpose of visit". Never got pulled once.
'"
I was asked by the border staff 'are you here for illegal or immoral purposes'. I said I was there to spend 2 weeks getting drunk and chasing skirt.
They didn't see the funny side of it.
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| Quote ="The Video Ref"I was asked by the border staff 'are you here for illegal or immoral purposes'. I said I was there to spend 2 weeks getting drunk and chasing skirt.
They didn't see the funny side of it.'"
The Canucks are even worse. Try giving the old "I saw a sign saying drink canada dry and I thought i'd give it a go" and see how far you get through the entry gate.
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| My entry into Barbados was always facilitated by the fact that the hotel owner that I was sub-contracted to employed an old Bajun on a full time salary for no other reason than he was the brother of the head of security at the airport.
When not needed for airport runs the old lad sat in the shade with the taxi drivers and gassed the day away but when someone like me arrived with goods in his multiple flight bags that really should have been declared for import duty, the old lad walked through to customs in the arrivals hall and stood by the VIP gate with a sign with your name on, a nod to a police officer and a simple stamp in the passport and no questions at all and he'd even get a porter to carry your well packed bags for you.
I've been spoiled now and detest the welcome that awaits at most immigration halls.
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| Quote ="Mike Oxlong"Well have done it now, and been approved for entry - just can't believe they have started charging people to enter their country now!'"
Give this government a chance, they can't screw everyone at the same time, this will take just a little longer to implement but they will, even the EU may go for that one as a money spinner
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| What would one suggest for somebody who has a minor conviction eg. drunk and disorderly?
Would it be wiser to risk not declaring this or go to London apply and pay for a visa which probably wouldn't be granted anyway?
I've been told they would only contact the UK to check a criminal record if they had very good reason to be suspicious.
Just asking for a friend like.....
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| Quote ="Hull Kogan"What would one suggest for somebody who has a minor conviction eg. drunk and disorderly?
Would it be wiser to risk not declaring this or go to London apply and pay for a visa which probably wouldn't be granted anyway?
I've been told they would only contact the UK to check a criminal record if they had very good reason to be suspicious.
Just asking for a friend like.....'"
I may have posted this little story before, but when I worked for an American airline (until very recently), we were made aware of a chap in his 50s who travelled with his family. He arrived at US Immigration and was asked to step aside for an interview (if this ever happens be prepared for a looooong wait), eventually being refused entry and put on the next flight back. His family were permitted to enter.
Turned out he had received a caution for shoplifting when he was about 12 years old, but hadn't declared it. As far as he was aware he had a completely clean record. I believe he was of Asian (Pakistani) origin, whether that has anything to do with it is another story.
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFLcavjFADkThe US Embassy are pretty clear about the issue.[/url But then they would say that.
I'd declare it. You [size=85(or your friend )[/size don't want to arrive and be turned away. It's unlikely you'll be denied a visa for such a minor offence if that's all you've [size=85(sorry, your friend)[/size has got.
You don't need to travel anywhere - do it online at the [url=https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ESTA site[/url and don't pay more than $14 for it.
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| Quote ="Cronus"...Turned out he had received a caution for shoplifting when he was about 12 years old, but hadn't declared it. As far as he was aware he had a completely clean record...'"
Which begs the question ... how did the US authorities know?
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| Quote ="El Barbudo"Which begs the question ... how did the US authorities know?'"
Here's a Freedom of Information response on [url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-by-the-us-authorities-to-information-held-on-the-police-national-computerAccess by US authorities to the Police National Computer[/url.
Must admit, at the time we thought it was very odd and that the explanation supplied above was the case regarding information sharing. I can only assume he was flagged up due to his Pakistani origins - US Immigration can request additional checks on a limited number of travellers as far as I recall. The incident took place around 2007.
Of course, there may be more to it than the gentleman in question revealed...we'll never know.
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| The ESTA declaration asks whether you have been convicted of a crime of "moral turpitude". Although the definition of this is very open to interpritation (the American's themselves can't decide definitively), I'd suggest that drunk and disorderly doesn't come under that category.
If you haven't been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude, there is nothing to stop you requesting an ESTA and answering "no" to the question - which will usually grant you permission to travel.
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